Kelly Rotlich
Kelly Anna Rötlich, codenamed "Athena," was an experimental super soldier for Sagenhoft Corporation, a renowned Union Project operative, and later its Director. She was considered a war hero and one of the Union Project's most important members. She is often credited with saving humanity in the RLA War, serving as a steadfast symbol of empathy, strength and perseverance against an overwhelming enemy. Rather than just leading Europe, she seemed to lead the world, even after her retirement. The daughter of a military colonel with a Cold War mentality and a mother lost trying to cross the Berlin Wall, Rötlich was scarred individual. She wanted strength. This led her to join Sagenhoft Corporation. Many people died in its experiment, but those that survived were blessed (and cursed) with increased strength, stamina, killer instinct, and a restless mind. They were deployed around the world, serving as catalysts for global conflict that fueled the company's profits. Rötlich recognized this later, however, and turned the company against itself with the help of the newly elected Chancellor. She then earned her amnesty serving with the Union Project, finding herself deployed around the world beside KSK operatives as well as apart from them. She's credited with saving several lives then, and later became a talent spotter for them. She became then Director Garrick Stanton's Aide-de Camp and Chief of Staff. Unexpectedly, he was assassinated and she took over. As Director, she led the Union Project through the RLA War, initiated the space age, and arguably saved the world. After spearheading recovery efforts for over a decade, she decided to retire as Director, leaving the Project to a new generation. She stayed on as a part-time advisor, however, authored many books, and became an ambassador for humanity to the RLA. Rötlich mostly stayed on Earth, however, subsisting off of book revenue and occasional small jobs until her death in 2076, just after the War with the Hunger begun. Family History Kelly’s story begins several decades before she was born. Her family’s military history dates back to the early 1800s, well before the unification wars. There was always a tradition of service to the nation. Her great grandfathers fought in World War I. The sting of defeat and the idea that Germany was wrong was also passed onto their children. With fathers high in the ranks, the pressure existed for Kelly’s grandfather to enlist like many of his brothers. Pride swelled in their hearts- mostly. The family was divided here. Most fought in the military, but plenty did not agree with the Third Reich’s policy. They questioned it- even Kelly’s Nazi grandfather, who would ultimately be forced to keep his background hidden as possible. His soon-to-be wife, a medic, kept him from dying in a blaze of glory when the Soviets took Berlin. They never got to leave. They quietly accepted their fate. As for her grandfather's siblings, many made it to the Americas and have lived lived since. Their son Klaus II, however, found the opportunity to leave. As a military border guard raised on stories of the west, he secretly dreamt of the other side. He met a woman- a young artist named Anna Schloss- who he routinely saw with his patrols. She captivated his imagination. They escaped together to the other side in the mid-1970s. Kelly Rötlich was the product of these fulfilled dreams: the liberated idealist. But she would also feel the pressure of generation after generation being involved in the service. Childhood (1980 - 1997) To say the least, her childhood was complicated. Early Childhood (1980 - 1993) The first five years were nearly perfect. She had a protective father in a secure military job and a mother who cultivated her imagination in their walks through the city and countryside alike. He allowed her onto base sometimes too and taught her the importance of reasonable force. Their family was unorthadox and traditional at the same time. But when Kelly was about six years old, starting school, she had learned about the other members of the family in class. She asked her mother why they weren’t there. Where were grandma and grandpa? Aunts and uncles? Why don’t I have my cousins? She had a brother now, Falko, but it still bothered her. Anna couldn’t explain. Instead, the idealist said that Kelly would get to meet grandpa sometime. Soon enough, reality would explain why. The little girl would attribute her mother’s death to this conversation- but not immediately. She felt that if she hadn’t said anything, Anna would not have tried crossing the wall again to get her father. In reality, it was something that Klaus and Anna debated for a long time. Klaus reprimanded Kelly about this conversation- why she hadn’t said anything sooner? He bolted to the Berlin Wall with Kelly following behind. Both of them saw the result. Anna and her father didn’t make it back across without bullets in their backs. Even though the Cold War was winding down in 1986, its politics were still a reality. Klaus rebounded. He found a woman that needed help and he gave it to her. Katerine. Someone needed to watch his children, but he simply couldn’t be around them right now. He paid her handsomely. Ultimately, she and Klaus became close enough. It wasn’t the same passionate fire as he had with Anna. Falko and Kelly needed a mother. The latter saw it differently, though. How could you abandon mother’s memory so quickly? Seeing the World He stayed on base more and became more active in affairs. Apparently, he sought an escape in seeking employment from the BND as a Bundeswehr officer and got it. Kelly came along too, seeing a lot of the world in his intelligence gathering efforts. Katerine yelled at him for how irresponsible this was, considering she was earning her degree back in Germany and had Falko to take care of. He returned occasionally. Both he and Kelly, in a cruel dose of irony, got to see the Berlin Wall fall in 1989. If only Anna waited just a little longer to cross over. A lot of the time, Kelly refused to stay on base or at home. Once her lessons were in for the day, she was off, trying to bond with people abroad. She always tried to help, to understand their situations, despite her father’s insistence there wasn’t much she could do and that it was a safety hazard. Some of them bonded through football too. He had to save her once- and from there out on, security kept a much tighter leash on her. Kelly had to associate with other officers rather than kids her age. They felt bad (and concerned) that a kid was on base, so they at least set up a net for her to practice shots and taught her how to defend herself. Her schooling was complicated, switching from homeschool to whatever school systems would accept her and back again. As time went on though, they travelled less and less abroad and the adjustment became easier. Klaus’s biggest mission came in as operating with the NATO peacekeeping forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the early 1990s. Consequently, Kelly and her brother finally gained steady footing in the German school system in 1993. Even Klaus would not allow them to somewhere deemed a war zone. Rötlich narrowly got into Gymnasium (at the 13 year old limit) when her mother and father petitioned for it. She had the marks from it. But they were hesitant given her circumstances. The Teen Years She got into quite a few fights. Sometimes the girl was offended by accusations that her father was akin to a Nazi imperialist for his presence abroad. Others, she responded to what she perceived as bullying. Other times though, Kelly was picked on for her odd way of approaching everything. Sure, there were some that found her worldly experience awesome and her honest approach refreshing. She got along with her teachers. But the first full year adjustments always ended up the worst. Kelly and Falko, more often than not, had to stand up with each other rather than against. They were inseparable, a dynamic duo. Nonetheless though, she tried to give back to others, often helping the older residents whether it was with deliveries or groceries. Sports Star As she had done before, Kelly tried to find refuge in football (with airsoft on the side). The coaches didn’t expect much. Technically, the girl wasn’t on a formal team before. She didn’t play by the same rules that Europe played on. They did, however, see potential in her stamina and how hard she took her shots. There was a lot of anger in this girl that could be channelled. Kelly also learned that she could lead through example and recognize people’s skills, but her age kept her from an official position. In her second year playing, now 14 years old, her team travelled to the regional championships. The year after saw them reach the nationals when she became a co-captain. They competed against some of the best teams in the country for the first time in their history- and won in a heated series of matches. Rötlich and her team actually ended up in their local paper and buried in a national paper’s sports section. Much to annoyance, she learned that other teams referred to her as “The Red Menace” for her relentless ability to score. As said, on the side she played airsoft. Rötlich found similar success at 16 years old, leading people no less than 2 years her senior. There weren’t many championships at the time. But it helped her kill time and people in the community recognized her as “Red.” On the side, she tried coaching, shooting guns with Falko, helping the elderly, and more. Her GPA dangled around 3.0- impressive considering how little sleep she got between practice, studying, and her extracurriculars. Something else she could’ve bragged about, but didn’t, was her affinity for languages (German, English, Russian, Latin and bits of Arabic). Kelly soon graduated. She could've went to any college or entered the military academy, but she chose a third option: an American company known as Sagenhoft. Sagenhoft Corporation (1998 - 2005) They promised her education and the chance of a frontline position. Even better, they promised that she would be the first superhuman. The first step in humanity reaching its full potential. Her family didn't object for one reason: they didn't know until later. It was a living hell. Kelly joined 1000 others in this grand scheme, but was trained in a company sized group of about 100. The experimentation, ranging from brain surgery to injections and other biological hazards. This killed half of her company. The training killed another quarter of them. To be continued. Union Project (2005 - 2044) Coming soon! Ambassador and Author Upon retiring as Director around 2044, Kelly Rötlich informally stayed on the Union Project as an advisor. However, as one of the few people that had decent relations with Queen Gladias, she was tasked with being the senior ambassador to humanity's most powerful ally. She frequently inspected RLA ships, voiced human concerns, and reported to humanity on RLA concerns. But when she wasn't involved in intergalactic politics or the Union Project, Rötlich spent much of her time writing about her life, the inner workings of the Union Project, and even history. Below are some of her books. Boots in the North (2012), 305 pages - Details the Bundeswehr and KSK efforts in Northern Afghanistan. Let Us Cut Into the Wall (2019), 243 pages - Klaus, a soldier drafted into the East German Army, and Anna, a clever artist dreaming of the west, risked their lives crossing the Berlin Wall. “A harrowing account of Cold War Berlin and a divided Europe.” “Masterfully details the political and human impact of ideological division.” “A cautionary tale. Never again must we be so divided.” “The story of this divided family, in a most terrible irony, transcends boundaries.” “It reads like a romantic thriller, but speaks about the essence of humanity.” Erika: The Anti-Hero (2035), 372 pages - An unauthorized biography of Erika Nadine, a conflicted figure near the heart of the Union Project’s success in the RLA War. “Her story sheds light on all the things we chose to ignore.” “Masterful prose, questionable character.” “Truly the necessary devil on Rötlich’s shoulder.” “The imperfect character is truly the most honest.” Survival Mechanism, 275 pages - An account of the Union Project’s Cold War history between 1960 and 1990, detailing the very origins of the project and how it remained secret for so long. Purge: Division and Dissent Inside the Union Project, 302 pages - After the Cold War, the Union Project defined irony: it was divided. The leadership purged dissent that threatened to reveal the project to the world, miraculously halting disastrous leaks for over a decade. This era ended with Erika Nadine’s grand reveal and Garrick Stanton rising to the mantle of Director. Inside the War Room, 202 pages - A look inside Union Project’s high command in the 2020s, where wise leaders and experienced operatives balanced Garrick Stanton’s ambition. Playing Chess with an American Dictator (2037), 427 pages - Arguably Kelly's biggest hit, this book analyzed every meeting she and René Abendroth ever had. She details the complicated geopolitics and agreements involved, hints at the establishment of the Unity Pioneers, and ultimately concludes that René was a machiavellian figure with decent intentions. Legacy Kelly Rötlich is arguably the most influential woman of the 21st century and onward. She inadvertently strengthened the Union Project by taking down Sagenhoft Corporation, which in turn led to a slightly greater deal of stability in the Middle East. She foiled things like "The Plutonium Plot," a massive underground terrorist cell, government overreach in Brazil, and saved Chancellor Merkel's life (to name a few things). This helped preserve what little unity Europe had and extended the reach of the Union Project. As a recruiter, she was well above average too. Kelly had a keen eye for talent, as operatives like Frostbite, Parkour, Green, Chateau, Stone, Samara, Burchard, Lukas, Falko and even Erika, would go on to play key roles in the RLA War and beyond. Frostbite would become the Union Project's first Russian Director; Erika would recruit the Theta Commander (who held the RLA to a stand still) and Zeta Commander Zoé Marti; Burchard led the Hundermenschen special operatives against the superpowered RLA and later founded his own colony; Falko commanded Sigma Specialized and trained the first generation of humanity's golden age warriors; Green's communications direction revolutionized UP's media approach. To this day, Kelly Rötlich remains a symbol of human resilience and potential unity. There are still some t-shirts of her around. Without her, it is argued humanity would not have survived the RLA War, let alone reach the stars. She was the mother of humanity's space golden age and kept relations stable for decades, to the point where Earth recovered from the war with new power, technology, and understanding. For the first time in history, humanity was united under one banner in its pursuit of expansion. Few entities fought each other. She, alongside René Abendroth, established the first reasonably effective world government that'd be referenced even centuries later on both sides of the Carceral War conflict. Matthias Rötlich and Jessica Stone would discover a myriad of colonies, setting the framework for several colonies before governing their own colony through the War with the Hunger. Kelly's daughter Anna Rötlich was humanity's first naval commander, pioneering tactics that'd be used for decades and be preserved for future generations outside the Milky Way. She led humanity through much of the War with the Hunger, but her extreme tactics led to colonists self-isolating themselves from the population hub of Earth. Kelly's granddaughter and Anna's daughter, Kristin Elena, became a symbol of an imperial mindstate that ultimately led to the death of Princess Chell, and thus humanity's alliance. Any desire to connect back on Earth and with each other was lost. All extra-galactic history beyond that point is lost. Earth fell apart decades after Kelly passed away, just a few years after outside resources stopped reaching Earth and most RLA technology was lost. The Alpha and Omega group she so loathed, but used nonetheless, would go on to flee the Union Project and become the basis for Adamaris Maddox (a former UP scientist)'s Imperates that'd live in infamy. This also reinforced the CS's defensive and hidden capabilities, thus sheltering it from the outside world until it struck. Her writings- mostly books, rather than digital e-books- survived Earth's multiple wars. It is because of them that some historians have a grasp on the past, why humanity is grounded, and who the major players were in that pivotal era. While most in-depth knowledge of the RLA is lost or sometimes dismissed, Rötlich's writings have made it into enough groups to inspire or influence. For example: some in Carceral State leadership believe that reaching the stars is possible if humanity is cleansed of its divisive factors. While some Rötlich descendants can then be traced to Kelly (at least one of Kelly's great grandchildren was visiting Earth when cut off), most are the result of her younger brother (trained and influenced by Kelly). One became the Chancellor of Germany, while others have continued the centuries-long tradition of military service the Rötlichs were known for. It has yet to be seen what role they will play. Politics “The only thing I know is that I want people to do the right thing, do it well, and without coercion.” Rötlich shares stances with the centre-right and centre-left parties of Germany given her family’s military background and where she lives. For instance, she sees value in humanitarian intervention, using the military against domestic terrorists (which should have a strict definition), respecting the individual, helping the poorest by charity, and a stronger, more unified Europe. Like the CDU, she’s skeptical about letting Turkey into the European Union, but ultimately wants to see its human rights issues resolved so a more powerful Europe can emerge. She still supports the Social Market economy, even though this has changed to a centre-left party stance. Deviating from conservative views, Rötlich sees the value in higher taxes to maintain the health and educational systems and deter poverty when charity fails. Relations with the United States Rötlich’s cooperation with the United States comes more from anti-terror operations than anything else. Her problem isn’t with soldiers (usually). Ironically, she finds its military interventions too frequent, imprecise, although notes the importance of deterring belligerents. She also disagrees with its domestic politics, particularly their stalemate congress, extreme money in politics, absence of a national healthcare system, and obsession with violence. The U.S. hypocrisy with its soldiers, who have higher than average homeless and jobless rates, astounds her too. There are many other things she criticizes in private, but never makes vocal. Integration While she understands the value of other cultures, Rötlich supports the idea of language courses in the nation of choice to improve integration. She believes this will minimize stigma and help immigrants in the long run. Her ideas on curbing immigration vary. “It’s discrimination with a positive purpose,” she confessed. Interestingly enough, though, she's often decided to learn their languages. As of 2032, she spoke German, English, Russian, French, bits of Italian, and Arabic. Military Although she supports a stronger military and humanitarian interventions, it should always be a last resort and followed by limited assistance in creating a stable system that doesn’t create dependence. Democratic means come first. When she was younger, her criticism of other countries to effectively run a government was harsh. It still shows in extreme circumstances. For example, she's questioned the United States' military machine, given its extreme budget and the hundreds of military bases around the world. Religion Given that she was raised in “the atheist capital of the world” and her family’s mostly from Eastern Europe, religion is not a heavy factor. She has never openly stated her affiliation. But she can identify with some tenets of Christian democracy and Catholic social teaching, like the dignity of the individual, obligation towards society, social mortgage, religious freedom that does not infringe upon others, care for the planet, forgiveness, and dignity of work (and other things stated earlier.) One should favor the interests of the individual and community over that of big corporations and overbearing governments. She also has nothing against the world's other religions, finding interesting tenets in the likes of Buddhism, Islam and, as said, Christianity, because of their modesty and reluctance to use violence. Reproductive Issues Although she’s come to frown upon excessive sexual escapades (one with her inner social conservative) and thinks openness on sexuality in the media has gone too far, she won’t stop anyone. Rötlich is also reluctant to comment on the abortion debate. While she believes everyone should have a shot at life, Rötlich understands that some simply should not bring a child into the world yet. She would support a practical education involving birth control and abstinence and keeping abortion safe. If it’s going to happen, people shouldn’t die for it. Family Values Her definition of a family is one that instills proper values and cares for the children- regardless if the family’s traditional or not. But she also believes that respect for authority figures is necessary in so far as they’re reasonable. A parent’s responsibility is to protect and prepare their children. They should be involved with their life as a guiding hand, not a suffocating bag. Rötlich is personally very protective of her own children, but believes them to be responsible as she’s taught them. They know about her job and have a right to understand. Environment The environment and sustainable development are where she and the greens agree most strongly. Humanity and nature are intertwined. She usually cites her childhood days in the fields, hiking with her father, and camping with her brother, but has read a variety of articles and over a dozen books on the issue. Solar power is practical too. Individuals can have a greater deal of clean, reasonable autonomy. Her feelings on nuclear power are mixed. Party Affiliation Because of all this, Rötlich was a member of the Christian Democratic Union for a number of years and identified with Chancellor Angela Merkel on a personal level for her past. She considered changing to the Social Democrats in later years. However, as she became more involved in the Union Project, she resigned from any party affiliation. She only retains her citizenship with Germany so her family will get the nation’s benefits. Her stances became the basis for the Unity Pioneers Party, which formed early on in the exploration era (2044 to 2105). They advocated growth through cooperation, reasonably controlled expansion, and a unified humanity in exploring the stars. Violence would only be a last resort. Powers and Abilities It should be noted that Roetlich has grown accustomed to restraining herself and when it comes to raw power does not reach full potential. As with anything, an absence of constant maintenance leads to a decline. Powers Strength: -Normally Kelly can lift around 300 to 400 pounds, but not without discomfort. When faced with negative emotions, however, her brain limits its restraint on muscle activity and pain receptors further, allowing for her strength to double or even triple. This 400 is near the U.S. women bench press record. -Roetlich can hit a target with over 1,000 pounds of force (effective 1300), equivalent to professional boxers, but generally hits at half of that. Consequently, she can break a thin concrete slab or kick through a door. Durability: -Roetlich can fall a few stories into a car hood and survive, although it has yet to be seen if this applies for concrete or a solid surface. -She’s gotten shot twice in the stomach with two 7.62 bullets, yet still managed to continue fighting, then hit with shrapnel. Evidently she survived. -In stressful situations, Roetlich’s pain receptors lose activity. She can take more hits, but her body still has limits. They’re relaxed even on a normal basis. -Her muscles and bones are a bit thicker than normal, allowing her to take a few more blows than is normal for her average counterparts. Speed/Agility: -Top recorded speed was 40 miles per hour with no equipment for thirty seconds at 24 years old, arguably her peak. She can run the mile between 4 and 5 minutes typically. -With a running start, Roetlich can clear ten to twenty foot gaps or jump about six feet high. Healing Factor: -Roetlich can recover from the brink of death, as indicated by her Kosovo run. -Standard injuries like cuts, burns, and broken burns heal one and a half to two times faster than the average person. Effects can still linger though. -Injuries normally unhealable, like spinal cord and minor brain injuries, can heal over time due to the special excursion of a hormone in a part of the brain normally dormant. -She ages a little slower than the average person, but stress arguably ruins that. Abilities: ' '''Adept Martial Artist: Expert in defensive hand-to-hand combat, utilizing multiple martial arts through training in military combatives and instruction under various private instructors. She generally incorporates elements of Aikido, German Ju-jutsu, Krav Maga, Karate, and elements of fencing, and other military styles, but cannot claim mastery over a single one. Her reactions and careful eye allow her to be particularly strong in Aikido, however, as compared with Krav Maga’s aggressive nature. Tactician and Strategist: Accomplished strategist. As Sigma Specialized (S2) Hauptmann, she led several missions with minimal outside help and utilized her teammates’ strengths and missions to get the job done. She had enough experience to recognize trouble and knows how to avoid it. Her nearly two decades of field experience between Sagenhoft and Sigma were incorporated on a larger scale as an officer for the Director. Master Negotiator: Kelly consistently demonstrates a unique ability to convince people onto her side or to lower their arms before combat. She networked across Sagenhoft to bring about the corporation’s fall in her twenties, and managed to work her way to aide-de-camp (mostly on her charm and merit) despite starting as a black sheep. As Director she helped break the ice between Russia, the U.S., and the Union Project (at least for a little while) and helped prevent war from breaking out more than once. She knows how to walk the middle line for other dispute, trying to remain the voice of reason. Advanced Military Operator: Well-versed in many Armed force disciplines including intelligence gathering, escape arts, assassination, demolition, survival tactics, hunting, swimming, mountaineering, march/drill skills, map making and reading, decoding, (peaceful) interrogation, computers, explosives, communication systems, vehicles and electronic appliances used in armed forces. While not particularly adept in everything, she can understand the jist of what a specialist says and roll with it. Indomitable Will: Incredibly strong-willed, Roetlich has shown herself to be mostly above politics. When certain of something, she will stand by it, and will always keep to a promise. Expert Marksman: Roetlich has won the equivalent of a German Marksman Proficiency Silver, signalling general adeptness with most firearms. Although not a prodigy like her brother, who taught her at some points, she can handle a sniper or battle rifle better than most people. Weapons Proficiency: Proficient in knives and a wide variety of firearms ranging from pistols to LMGs, although she prefers hand-to-hand combat, assaullt rifles, and SMGs for their practicality. Her favorite weapons are the Walther P99 and Heckler and Koch G36c. Multi-lingual: Fluent in English, German, Russian, Arabic and Italian. She is familiar with similar languages (Ukrainian, French, Spanish), able to understand basics but not speak with proficiency. She only knows elementary Japanese though. Expert Vehicular driver: Owns several cars, a motorcycle, and is on record as having driven planes, helicopters and boats. Empathy: Both a strength and a weakness, Roetlich can read people and see their intentions. This comes from years of experience dealing with combatants and always having to look for for traitors, but also from natural intuition. She’s always striven to understand people. '''Weaknesses:' Family, excessive exertion, overbearing sense of justice, mental illness. soon. Rötlich showed signs of mild schizophrenia such as auditory and visual hallucinations, sleeping problems and emotional problems in the RLA crisis. She said that she’d “grown used to them,” hence her ignoring Matthias and Jessica’s return. Everyday was a “guessing game” on what was real. The Director also acknowledged she’s had this problem fade on and off and took medication to help treat it. Given that it is not consistent, however, it’s not a full diagnosis and likely more stress related given her profession. Category:Germany Category:Bundeswehr Category:European Union